“The Past,” Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s first film since his Oscar-winning “A Separation,” might surprise some fans of that tense, Tehran drama. This one is set in France, spoken in French, and while a number of its characters have Middle Eastern roots, ethnicity plays a very minor part, and religion none at all, in what is essentially a multifaceted marital tragedy.

It’s the kind of thing where just about every person you meet has done morally reprehensible things, but only a few are willing to take any blame for it. Farhadi looks at these people in an open-minded, no-villains-just-flawed-humans-here way, which is admirable of course.

On the other hand, the film’s wide net of culpability gets pretty contrived at times. Solid acting (“The Artist’s” Berenice Bejo proves she can not only talk, but won Cannes’ best actress prize doing it) pulls this sad story along.

Check back for updates from AFI Fest and more reviews by Los Angeles News Group reporter Bob Strauss.